The Cavalcade of America presented by DuPont. This evening the Cavalcade of America presented by DuPont inaugurates a special summer series and welcomes as its musical conductor the world's foremost bandmaster Arthur Pryor. With this famous band he brings you the first chapter in the origin and development of orchestral and band music. And as the program opens may we remind you that many of the things that make summer bearable despite blistering days and nights have either been created or improved through chemical research. The refrigeration that keeps foods in perfect condition in your home or at the market. The beautiful man-made yarns that go to make many of the new cooler summer fabrics for men's and women's clothing. The air conditioning so increasingly in use in private and public buildings everywhere. These are but a few of the many summertime contributions to better things for better living through chemistry. In 1798 Congress authorized a drum major, a five major, and 32 drums and fives to play at all governmental functions. This became the nucleus of the oldest organized band in America, the United States Marine Band. On New Year's Day in 1801 it gave its first official concert at the White House and thereby established a custom that continues to this day. In 1888 its most famous bandmaster John Philip Sousa wrote one of his most popular marches in honor of the organization. The only musical composition which is officially recognized by the United States government. Arthur Pryor and his band play the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. The band plays the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. The band plays the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. The band plays the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. The band plays the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. The band plays the official march of the United States Marine Corps, Semper Fidelis. In every city and town of the United States bands of various descriptions sprung up at an early date. Love of music alone was responsible for their formation, for engagements were few and pay so small that it was necessary for the members to follow other professions and make their music their recreation. These semi-professional musicians did much to foster the spread of good music in America. And there was great interest and excitement in these communities when a famous concert band toured the country and played in their vicinity. The first great traveling concert band in America was directed by one of the most picturesque figures in musical history, Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, affectionately known throughout the country as Pat Gilmore. Gilmore was an outstanding showman as well as a fine musician. At the great peace jubilee in 1872 in Boston, he directed a band of over 1,000 pieces. And as a climax, when playing the anvil chorus for Miltrovatore, 100 red-shirted firemen hammered on a hundred anvils to the rhythm of Verdi's music. And for the grand finale, the booms of cannons punctuated the singing of the star-spangled banner. In honor of America's first bandmaster showman, Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore, Arthur Pryor and his band bring us the anvil chorus from Verdi's opera, Miltrovatore. Music playing Music playing Music playing During Gilmore's lifetime, he became the conductor of the 22nd Regiment Band. And when he died in 1892, his place was taken by one of America's best beloved composers, Victor Herbert, whose music is equally popular both with bands and orchestras, and whose life story was told in last week's Cabalcade of America. Arthur Pryor and his band play selections from one of Victor Herbert's tuneful operettas, The Red Mill. Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing Music playing In the late 80s in the town of St. Joseph, Missouri, considerable rivalry existed between two bands, Samuel D. Pryor's band and Winkler's Silver Cornet Band, which was also made up from the citizens of the town. Young Arthur Pryor, as a member of his father's organization, learned to play many different instruments, and his experiences with the band at St. Joe are typical of other similar bands throughout the country at this period. For celebrations or parades, both bands were engaged, and when they met, it was always the signal for one to try to outplay the other. Let us turn back to one of those days. Samuel Pryor's band is marching along the principal street on its way to join the procession, and young Arthur Pryor, still in his teens, is talking with a recent recruit. Here comes Winkler's band. As they go by, grow your loudest and strongest. If they drown us out, we're disgraced. How do you mean? Well, Winkler boasts that he has more cornets than we have, and that he can drown us out. You know, when you hear another band playing another tune, it's hard to keep in unison. The band that's still playing in unison after passing the other is the winner. Oh, I see. Well, I'll do my best. There they are. They've started. Pop always waits, and he has a system that helps us win. We can't help hearing the other band, but if you keep an eye on your bass drummer, keeping time with his beat, you can't get mixed up. I see. Here comes Winkler, boys. We'll start General Boulanger March. And don't forget, watch the bass drum. All right. We've won again, boys. Winkler's whole band has played except one clarinet, and he's playing our tune. This was the situation in many small communities until the coming of such great concert bands as Gilmour's and Sousa's developed a great ambition for proficiency in artistry rather than in volume. Some of the members of these small town bands found their way into the famous organizations. The story of how Arthur Pryor joined Sousa's band is worth telling. One of Gilmour's musicians, Tom Shannon, had heard young Arthur play the trombone with the senior Pryor's band, and he was offered an engagement. On Gilmour's death, Shannon joined Sousa's organization, and at his suggestion, Sousa sent for Pryor. A tall, shy young man arrives in New York and is allowed to rehearse on probation with a great bandmaster. Sousa is just finishing one of his marches. Young Pryor is seated in the trombone section of the band. The band is playing the trombone. All right, boys. And now, now we'll try goodbye. Well, here's where you'll get yours, young fella. You mean me? I sure do. There's a trombone cadenza in this number that's a corker. Well, the boys lost his job last week because of it. I noticed it before we started rehearsing. I think I have it memorized. Never mind memorizing it. Just play it. If your trombone doesn't fall apart. All right, boys. Ready? All right, hey, see, it is where you stand up and play your swan song. Young man, play that again. What's the matter? Was it too slow? You heard the boss. Go on, play it again. Yes, sir. I'll play it faster. All right, Pryor. Well, you may take me for a ride, but you can't make fun of me. Hey, wait a minute, Pryor. Where are you going? Back to St. Joe. You'll do nothing of the kind. You'll go right down to the office and sign your contract as first trombone in Sousa's band. A firm foundation with his father's band, followed by nine seasons with Sousa, with whom he soon became assistant conductor, prepared Arthur Pryor to take his place among the great band masters in the capital state of America. And it also enabled him to study new and colorful styles of band arrangement and composition. One which he wrote in memory of a little dog he owned when a boy, a dog that wasn't responsive to the spoken word, but who never failed to answer a whistle, is probably his most popular work. He'll play it now, The Whistler and His Dog. The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog The Whistler and His Dog We usually think of band music as a succession of lusty marches, but such men as Gilmore, Sousa, and Pryor, with their great concert organizations, have proved that band music is capable of delicate and colorful shading equal to that of a string orchestra. Here's an example. Arthur Pryor and his band will bring us Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. Johann Strauss's lovely waltz, The Beautiful Blue Danube. As small town organizations encourage the visits of the big concert bands, so in turn the big bands encourage the formation and improvement of more small bands. Until today, there is hardly a high school in the country that doesn't have its own band. Thousands of people attend park concerts and millions more enjoy their band music over the radio. As a tribute to the ability of American bands and their success in bringing the great classics to the music-loving public, Arthur Pryor's band plays the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. The Valkyries play the stirring Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner. Now let's take a quick make-believe trip to Dallas, Texas. Hurry on out to the Texas Centennial Grounds and walk into the cool air-conditioned DuPont exhibit, The Wonder World of Chemistry. The Wonder World of Chemistry. Yes, perfumes from coal tar, surely a striking example of the wonders that chemical research can perform. These aromatic bases not only find use in perfumes for my lady and ascent for cosmetics and soaps, but they are also important to industry. There are many manufactured products which in themselves possess a disagreeable odor. By adding a small amount of an aromatic compound, these products take on a pleasant odor, thus making them more convenient to use and easier to sell. And so because they affect so many things with which all of us come in daily contact, the aromatic bases that spring from humble coal tar offer additional evidence of the truth expressed in the DuPont phrase, better things for better living through chemistry. Next week at the same time, Arthur Pryor and his band will again be heard when DuPont continues with its summer series of the Cavalcade of America. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System. Thanks.
